Means for controlling the light rays of reflector lamps



Dec. 4 1923.

I A. c. WOOD MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE LIGHT RAYS OF REFLECTOR LAMPS Filed Sept. 15 1921 Elmoewtoz Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE LIGHT RAYS F REFLECTOR LAMPS.

application filed September 13, 1921. Serial No. 500,427.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR CHARLES Woon, a subject of Great Britain, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Controlling the Light Rays of Reflector Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a means for controlling the light rays of reflector lamps.

The present invention consists in constructing a modification, specific or tributary mechanism to attain the objects, perform the functions and produce the results obtained by the device described in an application filed by Arthur Charles Wood, on the 2 day of September, 1921, bearing Serial Number 497,861.

Reference herein is made to said application for the description in general of the objects and. functions performed by the mechanism shown herein. The objects attained in the present invention consists in brief in proigiding means for projecting the rays of the reflector to change the direction of the projection of rays of light from glaring into the eyes of an oncoming driver and blinding his vision; to spread or expand the light rays to extend in lateral direction on each side of the car on the road and into the ditches adjacent to the road bed and maintaining full glare and illumination of the reflected ra s of light thereon as the reflector is furt er tilted from a predetermined or critical position, by moving the light source at the same time maintain the projected rays of light ahead of the car on the road, but below the vision of the driver of an oncoming car thereby complying with the (noglare) statutes or laws of the State of Ohio and other States having similar laws.

The present invention in brief aims to achieve, attain and carry out by a modified means or mechanism the principles more full set out described and defined in the app ication identified herein.

These and other objects are attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanydrawing in which ig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a conventional type of lamp showing the invention applied thereto with the reflector in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of Fig. 1, showing and reflector simultaneously and tangular the means of hinging the swinging bracket to the reflector.

Fi .3 is a cross sectional enlarged view of Flg. 1, on the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing reference numeral 1 represents a casing, 2 an annular holding memher or beaded ring, 3 a reflector-hinged at the top of the casing upon a hinge member 4. A swinging bracket is also hinged to the hinged member 4 and is adapted to swing rearwardly between the casing 1 and reflector 3. The free end ofthe swinging bracket is provided with a socket member 5' having a slot 6 formed therein.

A lamp holder? passes through the aperture 7 of the reflector and is telescopically fitted to the socket 5' and is adapted to slide within said socket being guided in its sliding movement by a pin 8 which projects into the slot 6 and beyond the exterior of the socket 5. The lamp holder 7 is rovided with a yoke 9 having a screw threa ed aperture formed therein, which is adapted to engage the threaded end 10 of a-bolt 11. The

bolt 11 can be adjusted to move the light source back and forth to provide for the proper focus between the light source and reflector. A contractile spring 12 is interposed between the outer face of the yoke and the bottom of the socket member and is adapted to exert a pressure on the yoke member continuously, thereby maintaining the lamp holder in its outward or normal position as shown in Fi 1.

The light source 26, which is conventionally represented by incandescent or electric bulb, is attached to the lamp holder through the medium of a bayonet slot 27. An adjustable screw 28 threadably engages the swinging bracket 5 and is held in any adjusted position by a lock nut 29. An aperture 30-is formed in the casing to receive the bolt 31 and is provided with a collar 32. The free end of the bolt31 is provided with a threaded aperture which is adapted to engage the threaded end of a bolt 33. The bolt 33 is preferably formed recas shown at 34 in Fig. 3. The outer end of the bolt 32 extends beyond the exterior of the casing 1 and a nut 35 is rigidly fastened thereto by a pin 36,'providing means to rotate the bolt 32 for adjustment between the bolts 31 and 33 to control the downward movement of the bracket. The head 37 of the bolt 33 is slotted to engage a screw driver or the like and its head is also adapted to extend beyond and surround the aperture 37 to adjustably support the swinging bracket in its normal position.

In order to provide means for adjusting the screw 28 a screw threaded aperture is formed in the casing and a plug 38 fitted thereto to provide for the insertion of a tool to adjust the screw. The-screw 28 is held in any adjusted position by a lock nut 29.

A flat spring or the like 40 is attached to the upper portion of the casing leaving its free end exerting a pressure on the swinging bracket yieldingly forcing and maintaining the swinging bracket to, and in normal position as shown in Fig. 1.

Reference numeral 41 represents an adjusting screw which contacts with a boss 42 on the swinging bracket to stop the rearward movement of the bracket at a predetermined point.

In order to actuate the reflector lamp to safety or no'glare position, in the event of the mechanism being out of repair, becomingdefective, expansible spring 43 is interposed between the reflector and the casing to continuously pull and draw the reflector to safety, or tilted position to prevent the rays of light from projecting into the eyes or vision of the driver of an oncomin car.

The conventional means of tilting the reflector from normal position, 'to attain the objects, is described as follows :--An ear 44 is provided on the back of the reflector and a link 45 pivotally' connected thereto. The free end of the link 45 is connected to a link 46 which is mounted upon and rigidly secured to a rotatable shaft 47. is rotated at the will of the operator by a lever 48. An aperture 48 is provided in the lower portion of the casing to permit one end of the lever 46 to extend beyond the exterior of the casing. An auxiliary casing 49 is attached to the main casing covering the aperture and providing a pocket 50.

In operating the device described herein the driver permits the reflector to remain in normal position when the road is clear ahead or no oncoming car is approaching the car equipped with the invention. When an oncoming car is seen approaching the car equipped with the present invention the river, manipulates the tilting mechanism through the medium of the lever 48 thereby tilting the reflector to a predetermined or critical point, which is determined to be at the point of the maximum expansion of the light. When the predetermined or critical point is reached in the tilting movement of the reflector, the reflector is forced in contact with the end of the adjustable screw 28 and the swinging bracket 5 is forced to swing or pivot upon the hinge member 4.- and carry lhe shaft 47 rea ies a black spot on the road ahead of the car.

I claim:

1. In a means for controlling the rays of light of a reflector lamp, a casing, a reflector tiltably mounted in the casing, means to tilt the reflector, a bracket pivoted to the casing to swing between the casin and reflector and ad ustable means associated with the pivoted bracket to contact withthe reflector, whereby simultaneously movement is imparted to the bracket and reflector.

2. In a means for controlling ra s of light of a reflector lamp, a casing, a re ector tiltably mounted in the casing, means to tilt the reflector, a bracket pivoted to the casing to swin between the casing and reflector, adjusta le means associated with the pivoted bracket to contact with the reflector, whereby simultaneously movement is imparted to the pivoted bracket and reflector, means to.

limit the tilting movement of the, reflector, and means to yieldingly maintain the reflector in normal position as described and set forth.

3. In a means for controlling the light rays of a reflector lamp, a casing, a light source, a movable reflector, a bracket pivoted to swing between the reflector and easing, an adjustable lamp holder fitted to said bracket, means connected to the lamp holder to adjust the light source with respect to the reflector, means to move the reflector independent of the light source and means associated therewith adapted to move the light source and reflector in unison.

4. In a means for controlling the light rays of a reflector lamp, a casing, a reflector hinged thereto for tilting movement, a swinging bracket pivoted to the casing and adapted to movably support a light source, means to independentl tilt'the reflector and means carried by the liracket to be engaged by the reflector following a predetermined tilt of said reflector to thereafter tilt the reflector in unison with the light source.-

5. In a. means for controlling the light rays of a reflector lamp, a casing, a reflector hinged thereto, a light source, means to tilt the reflector independently of 4 the light source, a swinging bracket attached td the casing \to swing behind the refleetorand means associated with the swinging bracket whereby movement is imparted from the reflector to actuate both to move simultaneously.

6. In a lamp, a casing, a reflector hinged to the casing and adapted to he tilted, a light source, means to tilt the reflector independalight holder and light source carried by the bracket and means carried by the bracket to be engaged by the reflector following a pre-' determined tilt of the latter to cause the light source to be thereafter moved in unison with the reflector.

Y 7. In a means for controlling the rays of light of a reflector lamp, .a reflector, a pivoted bracket and a light source carried thereby, means to tilt the reflector independently of the light source, cooperative means associated with the bracket and reflector adapted to tilt the light source and reflector in unison, means for limiting the tilting movement of the reflector and ad-.

justable means carried by the bracket to focus the light source with respect to the focal point of the reflector.

8. In a means for controlling rays of light of a reflector lamp, a casing, a r'eflec-' tor. tiltably mounted in the casing, means to tilt the reflector, a bracket pivoted to the casing at the top, to swing between the cas-' ing and reflector, adjustable means associated with the pivoted bracket to contact with the reflector whereby both are moved in unison, adjustable means to limit the tilting movement of the ,reflector and means to yieldingly maintain the reflector and light source in normal position.

9. In a lamp, a casing, a reflector mounted for tilting movement therein, a light source mounted for tilting movement in the casing about the same center as the'refle'ctor, means to impart a limited movement to said reflector without moving the light source, and means whereby a further tilting movement of the reflector causes said reflector and light source to tilt as a unit, to avoid disturbing the focal relation of the reflector and light source during such unitary tilting.

10. Ina lamp, a casing, a reflector mounted for swinging movement in the casing, a

ing about the same centeras the reflector, means carried by the bracket to receive the light source, means to swing the reflector, and means carried by the bracket to be engaged by the reflector in'its swinging move-' ment and move the bracket and light source as a unit withthe reflector to avoid disturbing the focal relation of the reflector and light source during such unitary movement.

11. In a lamp, a, casing, a reflector mounted for swinging movement therein, a bracket mounted for swinging movement on the center of movement for the reflector, a light light source, a bracket, mounted for s'wingsource carried by the reflector and wholly ARTHUR CHARLES WOOD. 

